The Guide to Debit Card Processing Fees

The fees associated with a debit card transaction typically involve interchange fees and payment processing fees, but these can differ based on a number of factors.
Karrin Sehmbi
By Karrin Sehmbi 
Updated
Edited by Sally Lauckner

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If you’re a small-business owner who uses a point-of-sale, or POS, system, then you will likely notice there are various fees associated with running your POS system and accepting card payments. These fee structures can be confusing, especially because they vary by industry, transaction type, issuing bank and payment processor.

Overall, however, you will pay a fee to the debit network (for PIN transactions) or card network (for signature transactions) plus a fee to the payment processor. Here are the elements that affect the total debit card processing fee.

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Debit card transaction type

There are typically two types of debit card transactions you will be processing: PIN and signature.

PIN debit

PIN debit applies when a customer completes the transaction by entering their personal identification number, or PIN, after swiping or inserting their debit card. Generally, the merchant will not require a physical signature for PIN debit transactions.

PIN debit transactions are often called “online debit transactions” because the payment information is processed through the debit network instead of the credit card network (Mastercard or Visa).

Signature debit

This transaction applies when a debit card is swiped and the merchant or customer chooses to process the card as a credit transaction. Instead of entering a PIN, the customer will typically sign the sales receipt.

The Visa or Mastercard network handles payment routing for these types of transactions, rather than the debit network, so they’re also known as “offline debit transactions.”

Here, it’s important to note that even though the transaction is processed as credit, the funds are not borrowed, as they typically would be with a credit card; they’re still drawn from the customer’s checking account.

Card network

Depending on which debit card transaction type your customer chooses, the payment will be routed to the card-issuing bank through either a debit network or a card network.

If your customer uses their PIN when paying with their debit card, payment routing will be handled by a debit network like Interlink, Nyce or Star. The debit network charges a set of fees that vary based on your business industry and the size of the transaction. Some debit networks place a cap on the maximum fee a business will pay, but other networks have no such cap.

Signature transactions, however, are routed through a card network like Visa or Mastercard. Card networks charge interchange fees, which usually involve a percentage of the total sale plus a transaction fee.

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NerdWallet rating 

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Payment processing fees 

0.40% + 8¢

plus interchange, in-person; 0.50% + 25¢ plus interchange, online.

Payment processing fees 

2.6% + 10¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Payment processing fees 

2.7% + 5¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Monthly fee 

$0

Monthly fee 

$0

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Monthly fee 

$0

Regulated versus unregulated debit cards

Your debit card processing fees will also vary depending on whether the bank that issued the customer’s card holds $10 billion or more in assets or has less than $10 billion in assets.

If the bank has $10 billion or more in assets, the debit transaction fees will be capped at 0.05% plus 21 cents, based on the 2011 Durbin Amendment. These are known as regulated debit transactions. Banks that hold less than $10 billion in assets are not subject to this regulation and, therefore, these debit transactions (called unregulated debits) carry variable interchange fees.

It’s also important to note that interchange rates often change over time — sometimes even twice per year. For example, Visa and MasterCard update their interchange fees semiannually. Therefore, it’s prudent to regularly review interchange rates across different companies to observe any fluctuations in your debit card processing fees and bottom line.

Payment processing fees

In addition to interchange or debit network fees, you may incur debit card merchant fees charged by your payment processor. Payment processing companies don’t take a cut of the interchange fees — those go only to the issuing bank and the card network — but instead charge a separate fee to process payments.

Payment processing rates vary by processor and follow two pricing models — interchange-plus and flat-rate — to account for interchange fees, assessment fees, and the processor’s service fees.

Here are some of the most commonly used payment processors and the fees they charge.

Payment processor

Pricing model

Processing fees

Dharma Merchant Services

Interchange-plus

  • Interchange plus 0.15% + 8 cents for in-person transactions.

  • Interchange plus 0.20% + 11 cents for online transactions.

  • Interchange plus 0.25% + 8 cents for in-person AmEx transactions.

  • Interchange plus 0.30% + 11 cents for online AmEx transactions.

Helcim

Interchange-plus

  • Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).

  • Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).

  • 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.

Square

Flat-rate

  • 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.

  • 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.

  • 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.

Stripe

Flat-rate

  • 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.

  • 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.

  • 4.4% plus 30 cents for international card transactions.

Consult your payment processor

The various interchange and payment processing fees that amount to a total debit card processing fee can make it difficult to determine how much you’re actually earning from a sale. Still, accepting debit (and credit) cards has become a necessity, especially with the increasing use of mobile payment apps, digital wallets and contactless payments.

If you’re ever unsure of how you’re being charged or have specific questions about the fees you face, reach out to your payment processor for more information.

A version of this article originally appeared on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

Dan Marticio contributed to this article.

Frequently asked questions

The average interchange fee for processing a debit card was about 34 cents per transaction, according to 2021 data from the Federal Reserve System.

The actual fees you pay, however, will vary depending on your merchant category, processing method, type of card, size of the issuing bank, and whether your customer is using a PIN-based or signature-based transaction.

Yes. Debit card processing fees involve interchange fees, which vary by card and bank, and payment processing fees, which vary by provider.

Many state laws allow for a business to charge a consumer an additional fee, called a surcharge, to pay by credit card. However, this is not allowed by law in any state for debit cards, even when the transaction is processed as “credit.”

Best Payment Processing Companies
ProductPayment processing feesMonthly feeLearn more
Helcim

Helcim

NerdWallet Rating 
5.0
Learn more

on Helcim's website

0.40% + 8¢ 

plus interchange, in-person; 0.50% + 25¢ plus interchange, online.

$0 
Learn more

on Helcim's website

Square

Square

NerdWallet Rating 
5.0
Learn more

on Square's website

2.6% + 10¢ 

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

$0 

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Learn more

on Square's website

Stripe

Stripe Payments

NerdWallet Rating 
5.0
Learn more

on Stripe's website

2.7% + 5¢ 

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

$0 
Learn more

on Stripe's website

Stax by Fattmerchant

Stax by Fattmerchant

NerdWallet Rating 
4.0
Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's website

0% + $0.08 

Plus interchange

$99 

and up.

Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's website